Weather favorable for Perseid Meteor showers to light up weekend sky

BRASSTOWN BALD, Ga. – The anticipated Perseid Meteor showers will appear in this weekend’s sky, with 60-70 meteors per hour, and up to 100 per hour at its peak, sparking a spectacular solar show. Towns County is an ideal location to marvel at the annual space event.

Echo Ministries is hosting a gathering on Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in the state of Georgia, for spectators to enjoy the phenomenon. The event is scheduled for this evening, Saturday, Aug. 11, from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. Sunday morning. It is an open invitation, from the ministry, for star-gazing enthusiasts to attend.

The meteor showers are set to dance across the night sky through the early morning hours of Monday, Aug. 13. The rate is greatest in the pre-dawn hours, as with all meteor showers, since the side of the Earth nearest to the sun scoops up more meteors as the earth moves through space.

“This year the moon will be near new moon, it will be a crescent, which means it will set before the Perseid show gets underway after midnight,” NASA meteor expert  Bill Cooke explained, “The moon is very favorable for the Perseids this year, and that’ll make the Perseids probably the best shower of 2018 for people who want to go out and view it.”

If planning to visit Brasstown Bald, it is advised to bring warm clothing, or a blanket, as the temperatures on the 4,784 foot summit are typically 10 to 20 degrees cooler than at lower altitudes. Note that cellular phone service may be limited in the area.

If unable to attend the summit viewing, areas set away from city lights should provide an ample opportunity to enjoy the light show, given favorable weather.

As of noon on Saturday, the nightly weekend weather forecast predicts clear to mostly clear skies over Towns County.

Echo Ministries suggests calling 770-316-9200 if there is questionable cloud coverage, to ensure their Saturday night event will take place.

Brasstown Bald is located at 2941 Hwy. 180 Spur in Towns County, near the Union County line.